Jason Isbell, Brittany Howard to Open Alabama Amphitheater With ‘First Waltz’ Concert

The Orion Amphitheater will open in Huntsville, Alabama, next spring with an all-star lineup of artists who have strong ties to the state. The weekend-long “First Waltz” will take place May 13 through 15 and include performances by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Brittany Howard, and Waxahatchee.

The three-day series of shows will also feature music by Drive-By Truckers, Emmylou Harris, John Paul White, Mavis Staples, and St. Paul & the Broken Bones. The performances wrap up Sunday, May 15, with sets by local Huntsville musicians including the Aeolians of Oakwood University, Kelvin Wooten & Deqn Sue, Translee, and Huntsville Community Drumline.

The new concert venue will be located in the MidCity District of Huntsville, which was recently named Alabama’s most populous city.

“There are artists performing at The First Waltz who have never played in Huntsville before alongside others who have lived and breathed this special region of Northern Alabama their whole lives,” said Venue Group CEO Ben Lovett in a statement. “I couldn’t be more excited and grateful to both the artists and the City of Huntsville and the people of Huntsville for their sustained commitment and belief in doing something magical here.”

Tickets for the First Waltz will go on sale Friday, Nov. 19, at 19 a.m. at the new venue’s website.